Nebraska heads into Saturday night’s trip to Eugene dealing with another hit on the back end, and Oregon’s injury report brought its own major wrinkle.
The Huskers were already bracing to be without starting safety Jamir Conn, and Thursday’s availability update added another name to the list: Rex Guthrie. Guthrie had not appeared on Wednesday’s report, but he is now out as well, leaving Nebraska thinner at safety than it was a day earlier.
That matters because Guthrie had not only dealt with injuries this season, but had also been limited to 42 snaps, all of them in nonconference play. Still, his experience from last year - 574 snaps - made him a possible answer with Conn sidelined.
Nebraska’s Thursday report also included one addition in the other direction. Backup offensive lineman Preston Taumua is listed as probable.
The bigger concern from Wednesday remained unchanged. Defensive tackle Riley Van Poppel, who missed Saturday’s 20-17 loss to Indiana, stayed doubtful on Thursday after opening the week in that same spot.
Husker coach Matt Rhule addressed Conn’s absence in a Thursday interview with Jessica Coody of the Huskers Radio Network.
"Jamir's a unique spirit. We'll miss having him out there with us both in terms of his play, and also his leadership," Rhule said.
"But we have other guys. Caleb Benning is ready to step in.
We have other guys that are tremendous leaders. Whether it's Owen Chambliss, Owen Stoudmire, Ant Jones, or many, many more, they'll certainly fill that void."
Before the first injury report came out, Nebraska defensive coordinator Rob Aurich was already pointing to the challenge of adjusting if Conn could not go.
"It's going to be a great, great test for everybody else in that room and who steps up and how we find the best combination of the best 11 players on the field," Aurich said, adding, "Let's say, for whatever reason, someone isn't available, it's not always that we have to replace them with a safety or a corner. What's the best 11?"
Oregon’s report carries a different kind of headache. The Ducks’ biggest offensive question now sits with Evan Stewart, who moved from questionable to doubtful for Saturday night’s game. Stewart has been one of Oregon’s most dangerous targets, piling up 352 yards and four touchdowns on 27 catches.
He has topped 72 yards in four of Oregon’s first five games, and in the other one he still managed 56 yards on seven receptions. His 44-yard touchdown with 2:16 left in Saturday’s 17-15 loss to UCLA pulled the Ducks within two points.
The Ducks are also dealing with uncertainty at quarterback, and that situation may not fully resolve until kickoff. Dante Moore was listed out Wednesday, which leaves former Husker Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas - the quarterback who replaced Raiola in the fourth quarter Saturday - as the current options. Dan Lanning has also mentioned Akili Smith Jr. as a possibility.
Oregon will definitely be without safety Aaron Flowers, who was listed out Wednesday and will undergo surgery. According to Duck Territory, Peyton Woodward drew the start in Flowers’ place last weekend, making the first start of his college career. He played most of the game, with freshman Devin Jackson serving as his primary replacement.
Lanning said there were positives and negatives from what he saw back there.
"I mean, it's that. But I think you look at where we're at total in the game, and there were some real positives," he said.
"There's a touchdown run that we gave up that we fit wrong at safety, where we should have had an extra hat there. But there were some positives.
There's still room for improvement from both, but I think there are some bright spots there. Certainly happy with the growth of what that's looked like.
If we continue to grow, you can see all those guys back there."
Nebraska
Out
DB Jamir Conn
DB Rex Guthrie
WR Larry Miles
DB Kahmir Prescott
LB Jase Reynolds
LB Jacob Bower
DL Gabe Moore
Doubtful
Riley Van Poppel
Probable
OL Preston Taumua
Oregon
QB Dante Moore
WR Jeremiah McClellan
DB Aaron Flowers
RB Simeon Price
ILB Brayden Platt
OL Trent Ferguson
Doubtful
WR Evan Stewart
Probable
OL Dave Iuli
In Other News...
Nebraska Just Got A Break Before Oregon But The Challenge Remains
Oregon is heading into its matchup with Nebraska a little thinner than expected, with quarterback Dante Moore ruled out and wide receiver Evan Stewart downgraded to doubtful. That changes the look of a game that already carried plenty of weight for Nebraska, which has spent the week preparing for one of the most difficult tests on its schedule and now gets a slightly different version of the Ducks than the one it may have been game-planning for.
Even with those personnel questions for Oregon, the challenge for Nebraska does not disappear. The Huskers still have to deal with a program that has the speed, depth and organization to make life difficult on either side of the ball, and the broader Nebraska sports picture keeps rolling too, with volleyball stretching its regular-season win streak to 49 matches in a sweep of Northwestern and basketball set to return with an exhibition against BYU featuring returning players Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces A Real Road Test As Oregon Prep Gets Complicated
Matt Rhule said Nebraska is spending the week not just on Oregon, but on the logistics that come with a late kickoff and a difficult road environment. The Cornhuskers have had to adjust their routine for the unusual start time while keeping the emphasis on football, and Rhule pointed to the kind of details that can decide a game away from home, including crowd noise and cleaner communication.
Jamir Conn has been ruled out, which opens the door for other Nebraska players to take on more leadership as the Huskers get ready for one of their tougher tests of the season. Oregons quarterback situation is still unsettled, adding another layer of preparation for Nebraska, but Rhules message has been straightforward: stay locked in, handle the noise, and be ready for whatever version of the Ducks shows up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Has A Real Shot To End Its Ranked-Game Misery
Nebraska heads into the Oregon matchup with more reason for optimism than it usually carries into a ranked showdown. The Huskers know quarterback Dylan Raiola well enough to at least feel comfortable with the challenge, and they have some offensive answers of their own if Anthony Colandrea can help keep the offense moving and the rushing game does its part.
Oregons recent turnover issues give Nebraska a path to stay in the game, and maybe more than that if the Huskers can capitalize when opportunities arrive. The bigger backdrop is impossible to ignore: Nebraska has spent too long coming up short against ranked opponents, and this one offers a chance to finally change that story. [Read more 🡒]